I’m very sorry this morning to hear that @Himalistan is ceasing publication. One of my first published stories appeared in their pages. I recently visited a prison to do some guest-teaching and one of the prisoners had Googled me and read it. That was the first story I put up for workshop as an MFA student. About, among other things, faith, feminism, and menstruation. More importantly, I loved that this prisoner in Minnesota was reading @Himalistan!

In my small career as a freelance journalist, Himal Southasian has been the only organisation which-
a) Acknowledges your submission.
b) Goes through a thorough round of fact checking.
c) Informs you about the changes they have made while editing.
d) Asks you if you are fine with the changes and if there are any concerns.
e) In advance informs you about the amount you will be paid and the tentative time it will take.
f) Does not forget to send you a courtesy mail even if your write-up is rejected.

Bad news for journalism in South Asia. One of the best news and analysis magazines in the Subcontinent is closing down “due to non-cooperation by regulatory state agencies in Nepal that has made it impossible to continue operations after 29 years of publication.” I’ve met several members of their team (I’ve published seven essays in it over the years) and they are all very decent and committed journalists and editors with high standards. Hope they can revive Himal at some point, perhaps from another location in South Asia.

This is really sad. Himal was one of the first places, I wrote. Himal Southasian decides to shut down ‘due to non-cooperation by regulatory state agencies in Nepal that has made it impossible to continue operations after 29 years of publication.’ Independent and uncompromising strong voices are being increasingly forced to shut down. This is a worrying trend. These are dangerous times, indeed.